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Rumors II: Flames, Bruins and Penguins

On the Calgary Flames …

Randy Sportak of the Calgary Sun: The Flames haven’t lived up to expectations this season, but it doesn’t really make sense to start trading a bunch of players. GM Brad Treliving doesn’t see them doing anything that could shake up his team.

“Everyone says, ‘Let’s blow it up,’ but that’s not reality. You build your team in the summer and you try to find ways to improve it, and that’s what we’re doing,” Treliving said prior to his club’s 2-1 overtime loss in Arizona on Friday.

Any short-term fixes would likely mean they would have to give away one of their young cornerstones – Sam Bennett, Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan or their 2016 1st round pick. That type of move would be a “mistake” according to Treliving.

“In my opinion, you can’t start mortgaging and doing all sorts of things with young players that’s going to help you tomorrow night. That’s not something we’re looking at,” he said. “But you look at every option. You try not to leave any stone unturned to see how you can make your team better.”

On the Boston Bruins …

James Murphy of Bruins Daily: Bruins GM Don Sweeney could making some trades before the February 29th trade deadline. Loui Eriksson could get some interest from Cup contenders if the Bruins are not in contention.If Sweeney thinks the Bruins are a player or two away from being a Cup contender, maybe he targets Blue Jackets center Ryan Johansen.

The Bruins also need help on the blueline.

Wouldn’t they become instant Stanley Cup contenders with David Krejci, Patrice Bergeron and Johansen down the middle? Maybe Krejci would be part of a Johansen trade. Long-term, they likely couldn’t keep all three.

It’s not known if the Bruins are among the teams that have talked the Blue Jackets about Johansen. Many NHL insiders think the Canadiens are in the mix for Johansen. Johansen is exactly what the Canadiens have been looking for, for years.

On the Pittsburgh Penguins …

James Murphy of Bruins Daily: A source mention in the offseason, and again recently, that Sidney Crosby is part of the problem in Pittsburgh. Source said that Crosby’s perfectionist personality has rubbed teammates and coaches the wrong way at times. Could Crosby’s name ever hit the rumor mill? Would think the Canadiens would be at the top of his wish list of teams.